Brother in child porn case ordered held without bail

September 28, 2002|By Matt O'Connor, Tribune staff reporter.

One of two brothers arrested after a cache of child pornography was found in their Glenwood home was ordered held without bail Friday after prosecutors said a letter he purportedly wrote claimed that many pedophiles have no choice but to kill their victims because of severe penalties for sex offenses.

In a search Wednesday of a residence in Lansing, the FBI said it found a pair of children's slippers, hundreds of Barbie dolls and action figures and more images of child pornography in a computer.

FBI Special Agent Tracie Keegan testified at the Friday detention hearing that toys are often used by child molesters to "establish a comfort level" with children.

Authorities said the letter purportedly written by Kevin Willis, 41, compared pedophilia with homosexuality and other sexual preferences, saying it was "just as honorable, beautiful and deserving of support as any other."

The undated, handwritten letter, addressed "Dear Chuck," went on to advocate legalizing pedophilia, saying it would "save the lives of many children," claiming pedophiles resort to murder rather than risk prison. The authorities don't know the identity of Chuck.

His brother, Keith Willis, 47, a registered sex offender who spent 7 years in prison after pleading guilty in 1989 to sexually assaulting three young girls, didn't fight detention.

On Tuesday authorities found tens of thousands of pornographic images of children throughout the brothers' Glenwood condominium.

Attorney Robert Clarke, representing Kevin Willis, said the letter may have ideas that are "socially reprehensible," but he said authorities had no evidence Kevin Willis ever had sex with children despite taking "his apartment apart" in the search.

But U.S. Magistrate Judge Morton Denlow ordered Kevin Willis held without bail as both a danger to the community and a risk to flee, noting the letter expressed interest in moving to the Netherlands to escape "this freedom-hating, religiously controlled country."